TC 21: Never Routine
by Tegan's Muse
Summary: Some Thanksgiving fun, before a routine flora and fauna retrieval mission with 3 female officers goes incredibly wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**The Tegan Chronicles**

**Never Routine 1**

"Welcome back to unrestricted duty." Jack smiled as Tegan came into the gate room.

"Thank you sir." She grinned.

"Are you alright Kiser?"

"Yes sir, why do you ask?"

"I don't know you've got this weird glow about you." He gestured with his hand as his eyebrows wiggled, a sign the light bulb had just flashed. "Oh, never mind."

"Yes sir." She tried not to laugh as she turned to Sam.

"It's good to have you back." Sam's megawatt smile flashed brighter as the wormhole engaged.

"Indeed." Teal'c added his welcome with a small tilt of his head and shoulders.

"It's good to be back."

"Daniel, lead the way." Jack pointed up the ramp.

* * *

><p>"Welcome back SG1." General Hammond spoke into the microphone from the control room.<p>

"Thank you sir." Jack responded as Tegan unhooked her p-90 and handed it off to a waiting SF.

"How'd it go?"

"Boring sir." Jack turned to his team. "Though Daniel found some artifacts he thinks are interesting."

"We'll debrief in an hour."

"Yes sir."

"Hey." Dana stepped around the privacy curtain.

"Hey?" Tegan's brow quirked in quizzical fashion.

"Janet's letting me do your post."

"Does she have a fever or something?"

"She's perfectly capable of doing your post." Janet announced from the other side of the curtain. "I'm going to do Daniel's, so try and behave yourself."

"I always do," Tegan mumbled as she heard Janet's retreating footfall. She knew this would be an eventual thing. Dana was after all a very competent doctor, and one she probably couldn't just bat her long eye lashes at and get to melt in her hands.

"Did you have any encounters with a hand ribbon device on this mission?" Dana deftly open Tegan's chart.

"Man you're good." She grinned lightly.

"Are you avoiding the question?"

"Of course not." Tegan's grin grew. "And no, no Goa'uld on this mission."

"Any injures, cuts, bruises, twisted joints, bug bites, pulled muscles?"

Tegan's gaze narrowed and she wasn't sure if she was going to like Dr. Scully after all. "No."

"Any dizziness, chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath?" She continued to quiz.

"What is this, twenty questions?"

"Yes." Dana's mouth pulled up a little at the right corner.

"I think you got the rules mixed up, you're supposed to ask 'animal, vegetable or mineral'."

"Would you answer the question?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Any nose bleeds or headaches?"

"No."

Dana smiled at the irritation in her voice. "Would you look over there for me?"

Tegan looked in the direction she'd pointed as Dana shone a pen light in her eyes.

"Pupils are clear, equal and reactive to light." She pocketed the pen and retrieved her stethoscope. "Deep breath."

After she finished listening to Tegan's chest she started feeling the back of her neck.

"I can't be infiltrated…"

"Not by the Goa'uld." Dana cleared her throat, as she saw the green eyes regarding her. It almost threw her off center, but she caught her self before falling into the whirlpool. "Any encounters with any humans, or other alien life forms?"

"If you would have listened to Colonel O'Neill when you did his post you would know the answers to those questions."

"I'm just doing my job."

"Yes, and a little too well I might add."

"There's no such thing Kiser." Jack spoke from the other side of the curtain.

"Sir?"

"Just let her do her job, so you won't be late to the debriefing."

"Yes sir." She glared at Dana for a second.

"I'm just letting you know it won't be so easy for you to pull the wool over my eyes." She cleared her throat again. "Now, I need to get some labs and –"

"Airman Copley already drew a CBC and lytes." She interrupted realizing this could be a fun little game, even if would be hard for her to get the upper hand in it.

"Fine, you're free to go, assuming you'll be on base for the next couple hours should your labs come back out of range."

"Of course." She smiled.

"You passed Dr. Scully's post?" Jack grinned as Tegan glared at him.

"Of course, sir." She forced a snide smile.

Jack shifted uncomfortably in his chair remembering as a medical officer Tegan had the ability to make his life hell should she so choose. He looked at Sam reminding himself both women were equally professional.

"What?" Sam gave him a half smile as she tilted her head.

"Nothing." Jack lifted an eyebrow as he stood. "General."

"As you were." General Hammond waved his hand over the table. "I see Dr. Scully cleared you Major Kiser."

"Yes sir." She looked curiously at the General.

He wasn't about to mention he'd walked through and heard her complaining about the twenty questions. He thought Dr. Scully had handled the situation well on her own. "So how was the mission?"

"It was most uninteresting." Teal'c folded his arms on the table in front of him.

"Speak for yourself." Daniel straightened his glasses. "We found some ruins."

"Any inhabitants?"

"Not for some time, sir." Sam responded glancing at Tegan who nodded.

"Alright, I'll send SG14 in to check out the ruins further."

"But, General-"

"I'm not going to change your mission schedule Dr. Jackson."

"Why would I expect otherwise." He grumbled.

"Excuse me son?"

"Nothing General."

"That's what I thought." General Hammond looked around the table. "Dismissed."

* * *

><p>"Hey?" Tegan looked up from her desk where she was working on her field report.<p>

"Did you have to give Dana such a hard time?"

"Me? Give _her_ a hard time?" Tegan rolled her eyes. "I think you missed the whole interaction."

"Actually…"

Tegan narrowed her gaze and took a deep breath. "At least she didn't resign."

There had been one doctor, a green female Lieutenant who'd quit after dealing with Tegan in the infirmary. Of course there had been some sort of alien virus involved, and she would never have made it in the long term. Then there was also the fact she'd been stationed there at the request of Senator McKinsey.

"She's tougher than that."

"You think?"

Janet nodded changing the subject. "Want to go grab lunch?"

"I'm actually working through lunch today, so I can take off a little early." She glanced down at her watch.

"Hot date?"

"You'd know if it were."

Janet blushed lightly remembering their last date, before Tegan's previous mission.

"We'll have to do that again sometime."

"And maybe skip straight to dessert." Janet smiled at the thought of Tegan's body cover in chocolate, caramel and whipped cream. She could still taste it. "So when's your next mission?"

"Didn't General Hammond tell you?" She paused while Janet shook her head no. "Tomorrow, today's posts are being used as pres for it."

"What's the rush?"

"I think an unnamed Senator is breathing down his neck. Something about the lack of finding any technology we can use against the Goa'uld."

"Great."

"It's routine, we shouldn't be gone for more than six hours."

"We'll if you're back in time for Thanksgiving;" Janet knew how those routine missions could go. "We're having dinner at my place seventeen-hundred hours. I'm inviting all of SG1."

"Want me to come early and help with the Turkey?"

Janet nodded.

"What else can I do to help?"

"Sam's doing mashed potatoes. Dana's doing the cranberry salad and sweet potatoes. Daniel and Teal'c are bringing the bread and Colonel O'Neill's got drinks covered."

"So that leaves pies. I'll make pumpkin and pecan."

"Looks like all I'm doing is starting the Turkey and opening a can of peas." Janet grinned.

"Cass setting the table?"

"I am, I thought I'd let her clean it all up."

"Oh, you are the evil adoptive mother of the west." Tegan winked. "I've heard stories about you, you know."

"The only stories you've heard are about how I make grown men tremble in their combat boots, and have nothing to do with my parenting skills."

"Well, we all know that Dr. Fraiser rules with an iron fist." Sam spoke from behind Janet.

"Hey Sam." Janet looked back at her briefly. "We were just talking about Thanksgiving."

"I can't wait." Sam smiled. "I stopped by to see if anyone wanted to go to lunch."

Tegan pointed at her computer screen.

"I'll take you up on the offer. Major Workaholic is working through lunch today."

"Again?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

Tegan cleared her throat as a warning. "I'm taking off early today."

"Just don't stay out with Doc too late." Jack showed up. "We've got an early departure in the morning."

"I'll be here with bells on." She didn't point out she wasn't going out with Janet.

"Boots Kiser, boots on."

"Whatever." She grumbled.

"Lunch ladies? I'm starving, and they're serving meat loaf."

* * *

><p>"Ouch!" It was more of a knee jerk reaction as she pulled her hand away from the hot roasting pan.<p>

"What?" Dana turned to look at her.

"Nothing." Tegan turned on the cold waster and ran her fingers under it for a second deciding she hadn't really burnt them.

"Awwwww – did da widdle soul ja girl get a booboo?" Dana asked in baby talk.

Tegan reached for the spoon in the mashed potatoes and flicked her wrist sending a glob of the white starchy vegetable flying across the room where it landed, with marksmen like precision, with a splat on Dana's check.

"AH!" She stood there in shock for a second before reaching up and wiping the congealed mass off.

"Girls!" Janet's tone warned. "I just cleaned the kitchen, grow up."

"Sorry." Tegan directed to Janet before looking at Dana. "And it's an owie."

"Darn the difference."

"A booboo requires assistance, an owie is just something that makes you say 'ow'." She turned her attention back to the turkey that still needed plated and carved, while Dana went into the freezer.

"Do you know what's good for burns?"

"No." Tegan answered absently as she sat the turkey on the meat platter.

"Ice," Dana said as her hand snaked expertly down Tegan's shirt depositing a cube of frozen water inside her bra.

"Argh, I'm going to get you for that."

"I was just getting you back for the mashed potatoes."

Janet sighed and rolled her eyes. She couldn't help but smile at the fun they were having. It was nice to see Tegan so relaxed.

"What's taking so long?" Jack walked into the kitchen.

"It's almost done."

Tegan followed Jack's stare to wet spot on her shirt, her nipple standing at attention under the cold wet fabric. "I – uh."

"You ok Kiser? You look a bit flushed." Jack smiled.

"Would you like to carve the bird sir? I need to go take care of something."

"Sure." He smiled.

"I'm going to kill you," Tegan grumbled playfully under her breath as she passed Dana.

"You forget I grew up with two older brothers, I sleep with one eye open."

"I'm not sure who'd I'd place my money on." Jack looked between the two women before Tegan stomped off to the upstairs bathroom to find Janet's blow dryer.

Tegan looked around the living room after saying good night to Cassie who'd just disappeared up the stairs. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. "I should get out of here, I've got an early morning."

"I thought you were off until Monday?" Janet tucked a strand of unruly hair behind her ear.

"I am, baring the need to save the planet." She rolled her eyes.

"I didn't take you for the black Friday shopper." Dana said off handedly.

"I'm not. I do most of my holiday shopping via the world wide web. I've just got plans."

"So I guess going up to Vail is out of the question?"

Tegan looked at Janet, who she knew wouldn't get on a board and probably wouldn't ski either. "I thought you didn't want me on a snowboard til next month?"

"Who said anything about snowboards?"

"What else am I going to do at Vail?" Tegan grinned. "Seriously I've got a full weekend ahead of me, not even the lure of fresh powder can pull me away."

"Anything I can help you with?"

"Afraid not." Tegan clicked her tongue and looked at her watch as she stood. "I'll see you ladies on base."

"Night." Scully waved.

"Call me when you get in."

"You worry too much Janet." Tegan nodded letting her know she would.

* * *

><p>"So did you get everything done you needed to this weekend?" Janet asked as she came in to do Tegan's pre-mission physical.<p>

"It's a big project."

"In other words I shouldn't keep asking?"

"Something like that." She smiled trying to ease any worries Janet might have.

"So, routine mission?"

"Yup, should be back in four hours."

"Let's hope."

"You know, I hate to jinx us or anything, but the missions have been boring lately."

"You didn't just say that?"

"I know, I know better. I'm just saying."

Janet was standing in the gate room when SG1 returned six hours later.

"Colonel, you're late." General Hammond spoke from the command center.

"Poor visibility sir."

Tegan shook her head sending droplets of water from her sopping hair flying. "I think I've got water in my ears."

"I know I do." Daniel mumbled.

"Report to the infirmary. Unless there's something important we'll debrief at 0800 tomorrow."

"No sir, tomorrow is fine sir." Jack unclipped his P-90 and poured water out of the barrel before handing it off to one of the SFs.

"I thought maybe…" Janet walked behind Tegan in the hall.

"What?" She turned to look at Janet. "I didn't hear you."

Janet shook her head as Tegan tilted hers and bounced up and down in and attempt to get the water to drain from her ear canal. "I've got some drops for that."

"Do you have any drops for this?" Tegan looked at Sam who was grinning. "What?"

"Nothing."

"How'd you manage to keep your ears dry?" Tegan asked.

"My hood stayed on." She smiled bigger.

"Whatever."

Wednesday morning Jack, Janet, Tegan, and Sam sat around the conference table in the debriefing room. General Hammond was seated at the head of the oval table with his hands clasped in front of him. "Normally I wouldn't even suggest it, but according to SG17 the planet is unremarkable. There are no recent signs of inhabitants, and aside from the flourishing plant life the planet is dead. I thought maybe the three of you would like a chance to get away."

"To catalogue and collect fauna." Jack interjected, reminding them it was still a mission.

It was SG7's assessment of things, along with Sam's that had persuaded General Hammond to allow his three best female officers to gate back to P39-782 without the distraction of testosterone laden men. "And Major Carter will be in charge."

Tegan tried not to look disappointed, after all she was the biology expert among them, and while both Sam and Janet were older than her, they were barely of senior rank. In fact when it came down to time, Tegan had been a Major longer than Janet. The fact Sam had been a Major a month longer shouldn't matter. Still when it came right down to it, she really didn't want the responsibilities of being in charge.

"When do we leave sir?" Sam was eager for the opportunity to go off world without 'the guys' hanging around.

"0900 tomorrow." General Hammond glanced around the table. "Any other questions?"

Tegan shook her head.

"Alright, dismissed."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Tegan Chronicles**

**Never Routine 2  
><strong>

"It's quiet." Sam commented a few minutes after the gate had deactivated.

"Too quiet." Tegan scanned the immediate area for a third time. "Something's not right."

"Non-sense. This is a simple vegetation retrieval mission. General Hammond would have never sent us here if there were any possibility of…" Janet's voice trailed off as a large group of Jaffa stepped out of the foliage.

"Told you." Tegan looked behind them, there was no escape route. "We're surrounded."

"Relinquish your weapons." The Jaffa directly in front of them commanded.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not going down without a fight." Tegan brandished her P-90, but before she could put any tension on the trigger she was struck down with a zat blast.

Sam and Janet did as they were told before abruptly being pulled away from the moaning Major. Tegan lay on the ground pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. She was beginning to sound like Jack. "Who'd I piss off this time?"

"Get up!" The Jaffa who had zatted her commanded. When she didn't move fast enough he kicked her with an armored boot.

Tegan let out a grunt and scrambled to her feet while holding her injured side. "Give me a minute would you? I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Move!" He pushed her in the direction of Sam and Janet.

"I'll take pushy here, and you can have rusty." She looked to the oxidized armor of one of the Jaffa and at Sam. "Janet can take dopey."

"Very funny." Janet shook her head. "There's got to be thirty of them."

"What you can't take on ten?" Tegan grimaced as she was pushed forward and they began marching away from the gate. "I thought you were the feared Dr. Fraiser."

"In my own element, I am." Janet tossed a dirty look over her shoulder to the Jaffa that had just shoved the butt of his staff weapon into her lower back.

"Move faster."

"You know they have pockets, you empty them and give them back." Tegan grumbled after being stripped down to her t-shirt and panties. She wondered if Janet and Sam were getting the same treatment. They'd been separated for the last twenty minutes by her estimation.

"Hek'tu will see you now." The Jaffa Tegan had named pushy spoke gruffly. She assumed he was Hek'tu's first prime.

"What, did his mama name him while coughing up a mucous plug? Hek'tu!" She imitated a raspy cough, and received a blow to the back of her head. It was enough to knock her to the floor. "That's gonna leave a bump."

She looked up to see a woman of utter beauty standing in front of her. She thought of an old looney toon where the wolf sees a hot babe and whistles while his eyes pop out of his head. If she'd been hit any harder seconds ago, she could have pulled the effect off nicely. As was all she could think was, that's no Goa'uld. But glowing white eyes told another story.

"Arise."

Tegan remembered Jack once muttering in a drunken state that beautiful women get what beautiful women want. Without hesitation Tegan found her feet.

"Turn around."

Again Tegan found herself obeying without question.

"I can see why Nirrti wants you."

Tegan didn't know a Goa'uld was capable of purring, but Hek'tu certainly was. "Maybe I won't tell her of your capture until I've had my fun with you. Then again, Apophis would also be pleased to have you and Carter. He might even let me keep you when he is done with you."

Tegan shivered involuntarily as Hek'tu traced her jaw with the metallic nail of her ribbon device. She made eye contact for a brief second before being back handed.

"Tell me why Nirrti wants you." Her voice was demanding and gruffer than it had been.

"I don't know." Tegan's voice was a half whisper, but she did know.

"You dare lie to me fool?" Hek'tu tangled her fingers into Tegan's hair and jerked her head back. She held the active ribbon device mere centimeters from her forehead and ended the onslaught only when Tegan's body went limp.

She tossed her onto the floor and turned to her first prime. "Put her with the others."

Sam looked up as the door to their holding cell slid open. The light from the hallway was almost blinding compared to the light in the cell, or lack thereof. She squinted and could make out the silhouette of two Jaffa dragging a limp body into the room. A soft thud resounded as her body hit the floor, followed by the door sliding shut as the Jaffa moved back into the hallway.

Before Sam could move Janet was already at Tegan's side looking for any visible wounds in the dim light. If it could even be called light, the entire ceiling was lit up but gave little more illumination than a night light. She felt the bump on the back of Tegan's head and wondered if she'd been knocked out by an over zealous Jaffa. That still didn't explain why she'd been gone so long or why she was, Janet's heart stopped in her chest. She'd never heard of a Jaffa raping anyone before, but then again how much did they really know about the Jaffa or Goa'uld for that matter.

Sam knelt beside her. "How is she?"

"I don't know." Janet sighed pushing the image out of her head. "She may have been knocked out."

"I doubt it." Sam ran her hand over the reddened area on Tegan's forehead. "Hand device."

"Goa'uld?" Janet had only seen Jaffa since their arrival.

Sam nodded. "Let's move her away from the door."

They carefully lifted her flaccid body and moved her against the far wall. Sam peeled her jacket off and draped it across Tegan's bare legs. Unfortunately she and Janet had been relieved of their packs and Alice vests. Janet cradled Tegan's head in her lap and rested her own head on the wall.

She and Sam had already searched for anyway out of the tiny eight by eight room. The door when closed was almost invisible and there were no controls to open it inside the room. There was nothing left for them to do except wait.

Sam checked her watch when Tegan started to rouse; she'd been out for forty minutes. Janet ran her fingers through her short red locks. "Shhh, it's ok. You're safe."

"Hardly." Tegan sat up, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Her head throbbed, but she did her best to ignore it. "Hek'tu is torn between giving us to Nirrti or Apophis."

"I've never heard of Hek'tu, who is he?" Sam had her back against the adjoining wall.

"She… I assume she is a minor, very minor system Lord. She seems to be leaning towards Apophis, but I don't know." Tegan could still hear the desire in Hek'tu's voice. It actually made her stomach turn. "I think she's…"

"What?" Sam leaned forward.

"Nothing." Tegan swallowed hard.

"Are you hurt any where?" Janet asked, seeing the avoidance in Tegan countenance.

"No, just a little bruised."

"I hate to ask…" Janet motioned to Tegan's lack of clothes.

"They stripped me down to this before Hek'tu came in. I tried telling them they could just empty my pockets, but no."

"The Jaffa, they didn't…" Janet hesitated.

"No." Tegan shook her head. "Somehow I don't think Hek'tu would allow it."

Sam and Janet exchanged a confused look as Tegan began to rub her temples between a stretched thumb and forefinger.

"You ok?" Janet put a light hand on Tegan's shoulder and immediately felt her muscles tighten into steel cords.

"Yeah." Tegan looked up as the door whooshed almost silently open.

Janet's gaze followed that of Tegan's, she'd felt the cords pull taunt before she'd had any other clues the door was open. Sam jumped to her feet as two Jaffa entered the small room.

"Move out of the way!" The deep voice boomed as his forearm connected with Sam's side sending her sprawling into the back wall. "You, come with us."

"Me?" Janet asked knowing the answer.

"The redhead."

"Take me." Sam found her feet again. "I want to see Hek'tu."

"Soon enough." He again pushed her aside, and in one fluid movement pulled Tegan to her feet using her hair. Sam's army green jacket fell to the floor. "Hek'tu is bored."

"I'm not the court jester." Tegan growled freeing her hair from the Jaffa's grasp.

"Hek'tu awaits." The second Jaffa spoke while grabbing Tegan's wrist and pulling her out of the room.

Sam started to lunge at the first Jaffa, but was stopped by Janet who knew she'd only manage in colliding with the fast closing door.

"Damn it!" Sam let out a frustrated sigh.

Hek'tu entered the large atrium where Tegan had been taken. Her left ankle was chained to the floor with a heavy ten foot lead, much like one would chain a mangy mutt outside. She stood beside the anchor point, examining it for any weaknesses. Her deep investigation was interrupted by the swish of silk robes. Tegan looked up to see strawberry blonde locks flowing over milky white skin. The exquisiteness of the woman in front of her, left her in awe of how such evil could exist beneath the surface. But she'd seen it, and she wasn't about to fall for the innocent expression she now witnessed.

"Hek'tu." The name was spat from her lips with disgust.

"Major." Came the seductive reply. "Or do you prefer Tegan?"

The sound of her own name caused her feelings of disgust and desire all in one. She only had eyes for one woman, so why did this hideous woman of beauty cause her to feel weak in the knees.

"You like Tegan." There was that purr again as Hek'tu stepped close enough to touch the other woman.

Tegan swallowed the cotton ball that had suddenly appeared in her throat, as Hek'tu dropped her robes to the floor. The outfit she uncovered was tight and revealing. The top consisted of little more than a golden bra molded perfectly to her chest. Her pants a golden silk looked like they had been painted on until they flared out from the knee and billowed onto the stone floor at her feet. "You want me."

"No." Tegan's tongue stuck dryly to the roof of her mouth and she stepped back.

"You will not deny me." The purr was replaced by a growl.

Tegan had found her personal reign, and commonsense won out. She was going to fight. Without giving it a second thought Tegan took advantage of the close proximity and thrust her self forward. Hek'tu anticipated the action and stepped back.

Tegan was faster and managed to get a grip around the Goa'uld's waist, her teeth sinking into the exposed flesh of her abdomen. She bit down until she tasted the metallic sting on her tongue. Screams of agony ripped through the air, and Tegan continued to bite down. The instant she felt her teeth meet, she felt the distinct stinging surge of zat fire.

When she was able to regain her surroundings she found Janet and Sam in the room still fully clothed. They were both flanked on either side by two burly Jaffa, staff weapons armed and daring them to try anything. Sam was to the right of her, and Janet was on the left.

"Glad you could join us." Hek'tu spoke before she was spotted by the fiery redhead.

Tegan wiped the coagulated blood from her lips and looked to the already healing wound she'd left on the other woman's abdomen.

Hek'tu followed her gaze. "It is healing nicely."

"Damn the Goa'uld." Tegan spit the remaining remnants of flesh and blood from her mouth.

"But your friends will pay for your transgression." Hek'tu paced toward Sam, and raised her hand. She'd made the mistake of not wearing the ribbon device earlier with Tegan, now she wanted to be sure Major Kiser saw it. The stone in the middle began to glow as it was activated, but at the last minute it died and Hek'tu punched Sam square in the face.

"Physical contact is so much more satisfying." She looked to Tegan and licked her upper lip as the horror played across the young major's face.

Blood was spurting from Sam's nose but she made no utterance as the Jaffa flanking her pulled her to her feet. Hek'tu wrapped her fingers in golden hair and jerked Sam's head back. She snaked her tongue across the skin above Sam's lip wiping away the blood. "Apophis has a price on your head."

Sam took advantage of the distracted Goa'uld and the grip the Jaffa had on her arms and allowed her feet to swing forward as if on a pendulum and kicked Hek'tu in the stomach. The action caused the Goa'uld to stumble backward.

"Another feisty one." Hek'tu caught her footing and waved her hand in the air stopping one of the Jaffa from using his staff weapon. "She is mine as well."

She moved over to Janet who was still in a kneeling position on the floor. The brunette doctor's aching knees were currently the least of her worries. "I do not have the pleasure of knowing your name."

"And you won't." Janet muttered as she felt the cold metal finger coverings of the ribbon device dig into her skin.

Hek'tu pulled Janet's jaw upward until she could look into her dark eyes. "And who wants you?"

Janet clenched her teeth together.

"What is your name?" Hek'tu failed at purring as she searched the chocolate orbs staring up at her. "I will get it out of you."

"Doctor Janet Fraiser, Major United States Air Force." Tegan called out, she was now standing firmly on her own two feet, still clad in nothing more than black boy shorts a sports bra and black t-shirt.

"The one that thwarted Nirrti's plans, I do believe I have found the keys to the universe." She looked at Tegan knowing her weakness now.

Tegan watched as Hek'tu locked her hazel radars on her position. The Goa'uld let go of Janet's jaw with out looking back and strolled pointedly toward Tegan. "Why does Nirrti want you?"

"Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?" Tegan quoted a batman movie she'd seen as a kid.

Hek'tu wrapped long fingers around Tegan's neck and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "I do not dance, nor do I play games."

She pushed her back causing her to fall to the floor. "Take Major Carter to her cell, I will inform Apophis tomorrow that I have a gift for him."

"What do you want?" Tegan stood up defiantly.

"Why does Apophis want her?"

"What male wouldn't want her?" Tegan scoffed. "Look at her."

"Apophis does not let his hormones control his judgment. Why does he want her?"

Sam shook her head no as the Jaffa pulled her from the room.

"Don't know do ya?"

The childish statement earned her a bloodied lip at the hand of Hek'tu. "I'm more concerned with why Nirrti has a price on your head."

"Cause I'm such a good kisser." Tegan taunted licking the blood from her lower lip.

Hek'tu gripped Major Kiser's jaw and pressed her lips to the redhead's. The taunt had the effect Tegan had been going for, as did her reaction to the tongue being forced into her mouth. Without so much as an outward warning Tegan hurled remnants of that morning's breakfast in the mess hall all over the Goa'uld. Hek'tu stepped back and wiped the vomit from her lips and chin.

"You know," Tegan announced with sudden realization. "They'll know something is amiss when we don't report in. General Hammond will send in armies to rescue us, and blast your little ass out of existence."

"It has already been taken care of." Hek'tu smiled. "Your superiors think everything is fine. Images of you and your comrades have been sent informing them that everything is going according to plan, but you may be delayed in returning due to some recent discoveries. By the time they think any differently Major Carter will be in the hands of Apophis, Dr. Fraiser will be in the hands of Nirrti. And you, you will be serving me."

"And you think Nirrti is going to just let you keep me?"

"Once I give her the information she wants from you, she will have no need to take you from me."

"And you think I'm just going to give you this information?"

"I know you will." Hektu backed away while removing the ribbon device from her hand. She laid it on the ground just out of reach of Tegan's lead before turning her attention to Janet. "Stand up."

Without waiting for Janet to make any attempt to move the two Jaffa on either side of her picked her up by her arms. Hek'tu repeated the punch she'd delivered to Sam earlier, and a loud pop sounded in the air. Janet wasn't quite as capable of holding in her pain, but before she could cry out Hek'tu started using her chest for a punching bag.

"Stop!" Tegan yelled over Janet's cries.

"Tell me what I want to know." Hek'tu ceased her onslaught long enough to demand answers.

"Let them go and I will tell you everything."

"No." Janet sputtered through the blood that was still steadily streaming from her nose.

"You will tell me first, then I will decide."

"No deal, you let them go first or I will take my knowledge to the grave."

"I'll kill her." Hek'tu turned back to Janet. "Unless you know something of value."

"I might." Janet could see Tegan moving quietly out of the corner of her eye. "What do you want to know?"

"Why does Apophis want Major Carter?" She continued to watch Janet.

"Have you ever heard of SG1 and what they are capable of, or did you just crawl out from under a rock?"

Hek'tu's forearm connected with Janet's ribs, this time a loud crack echoed through the cavernous room. She'd definitely broken a rib or two with that hit.

"Let her go!" Tegan demanded her voice sounding much like that of a Goa'uld. Her eyes flashed white when Hek'tu turned to see her standing there sporting her discarded hand device.

"Who are you?"

"Kalma'kipu."

"Kalma'kipu is dead, Nirrti killed her."

"That's what Nirrti wants you to think." Tegan raised her hand, using the knowledge she'd gotten from Sam as well as the memories left behind from two dying symbiotes, she was able to activate the device. She directed the stream to the middle of Hek'tu's forehead and was so engrossed in making the device work she didn't see several Jaffa enter the room as the Goa'uld fell to the ground.

"Agh!" Tegan yelled out as the blast from a staff weapon hit her mid thigh propelling her to the ground.

Hek'tu moved quickly to shield Tegan from any further damage. "You fool. I told you no one is to harm her!"

"I'm sorry my lord." Her first prime coward in front of her.

"Take Dr. Fraiser back to the cell, I will deal with you later."

"Tegan." Janet called out to her fallen comrade.

"I'm alright, Janet." She moaned softly as Hek'tu removed the device from her hand.

"If you are truly who you say you are, we would both benefit greatly from an alliance."

"Let Major Carter and Major Fraiser go, and I will talk to you of an alliance." Tegan grimaced as her eyes glowed. The heat in her leg was almost unbearable.

"Kalma'kipu is dead." Hek'tu looked down at the staff wound. "You would already be healing if a Goa'uld lived inside you."

"My symbiote is injured."

"I do not believe you." Hek'tu hissed painfully from the remnants of having the ribbon device used on her. "I should just kill you."

"And you know what Nirrti would do to you." Tegan knew she had a point. "I'm only valuable to her alive."

"Why?"

Rather than answer the question Tegan closed her eyes against the pain and refused to acknowledge the Goa'uld until she ordered Tegan be returned to the cell.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Tegan Chronicles**

**Never Routine 3**

Janet sat in the corner supporting her aching ribs as best she could after tending to Sam's nose which was currently twice its normal size. Judging from her viewpoint, her own nose was as well. Sam had tried to check Janet's injuries, but she had refused. "You're as bad as Tegan."

"Speaking of Tegan, is she always like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know…" Janet wasn't sure what the word was.

"Protective?"

"I was going to say taunting."

"She can be. She does what she can to protect her team and sometimes that means drawing attention to her self. In fact that's probably why Daniel and I seem to get tortured less, between her and Colonel O'Neill taking the brunt of it. But she does seem to be just a little more protective of you."

"Just a little?"

Sam nodded and looked to the door, which was now open. The two Jaffa carrying, or rather dragging Tegan tossed her into the cell and closed the door. When the door was closed Tegan sat up carefully and looked Sam over. "Sam, are you ok?"

"Yeah." Sam's voice sounded stuffy from the nasal swelling.

"Did she break it?"

"I don't think so." Sam looked to Janet.

"How are we feeling Dr. Fraiser?" Tegan crawled over to the short doctor.

"Great." Janet had her arms folded across her chest.

"Uh huh." Tegan pulled Janet's arms free. "Any difficulty breathing?"

"No."

Tegan looked to Sam.

"None that I could see."

"Well that's a good sign. Lean forward." Tegan assisted Janet out of her field jacket, and then pulled her shirt up. Even in the ill lit room both Tegan and Sam could see the purple bruising of Janet's chest. "I'm sure you've got some broken ribs."

"Probably." Janet winced when Tegan pushed on a particularly sore area.

"We don't have much to work with." Tegan started tearing Janet's field jack into large strips, and then secured them around Janet's rib cage. "It's not much but it should give you some stability."

"I feel better already." Janet smiled sadly. "Now, how about you?"

"Me? I'm fine." Tegan looked away, which was a sure sign she wasn't being entirely truthful.

"Some how I don't think so." Janet grabbed her hand. "In the very least your electrolytes are messed up. Promise me you won't make your eyes glow anymore until we are back home."

Tegan shook her head negatively. "I can't Janet. If it comes down to doing something that might get you and Sam out of here, I just can't make that promise."

"Even without the glowing eyes you're already compromised from vomiting earlier."

"I know." Tegan released her hand from Janet's.

"Nice touch by the way." Sam commented.

"Thanks, but you'd have done the same thing if that 'snakehead' shoved her tongue down your throat."

"When you put it that way…" Sam moved forward seeing what she'd first thought was a shadow on Tegan's thigh. "What's… Tegan?"

"It's nothing." Tegan spun around moving the wound out of either woman's line of vision.

"You got hit by that staff blast." Janet had just remembered. "What kind of doctor am I?"

"It's nothing." Tegan insisted. "Just a…"

"Flesh wound." Sam scoffed.

"Let me take a look at it." Janet was able to move a little better since Tegan had splinted her chest.

"It's not bleeding, the blast cauterized it. There's nothing that can be done about it." Tegan argued while Janet examined the circular lesion on her left thigh.

"Let me put a dressing over it." Janet looked around. "We can use Sam's jacket."

"No. I think it will be better to leave it open to air right now."

"You might be right." Janet reasoned that bacteria sometimes thrived in dark moist places. "But I want to keep a close eye on it."

Tegan nodded. "We need to talk. There is a possibility Hek'tu will let you both go. She isn't quite sure whether I have a symbiote in me or not, but she is deathly afraid of what Nirrti will do to her if anything happens to me. When she believed I was Kalma'kipu she wanted to form an alliance. If I can get her to agree to let you both go, I want you to get back to the SGC and don't look back."

"We can't leave you behind." Sam wasn't going to leave her teammate and friend behind.

"You won't have a choice. Sam, she's talking about handing you over to Apophis."

"I don't care."

"I do!" Tegan raised her voice.

* * *

><p>"How long has it been?" Tegan opened her eyes. She heard Sam and Janet whispering trying not to wake her, although sleep was something she couldn't afford.<p>

Sam looked at her watch. "Just over thirty-six hours since they brought you back."

"Can I borrow a boot?" Tegan asked Sam as Janet began to cough.

Sam took off her left boot and handed it to Tegan who was tending to Janet.

"It's nothing." Janet tried to reassure her.

"You need to be in a hospital." Tegan grumbled.

"So do you." Janet shot back. The lack of food and more so water was beginning to take its toll.

Tegan pushed herself to her feet and limped to the door, doing her best to ignore the pain in her thigh. She started banging on the area she assumed was the door. After about ten minutes the door stood open to reveal the Jaffa she'd nicknamed 'rusty.' He was no longer dressed in his protective armor. "What happened to pushy?"

"I am now first prime of Hek'tu. What do you want?"

"I want to speak to Hek'tu." Tegan demanded.

"She does not want to see you."

"I don't give a shit what wants. You tell her she will see me." Tegan's eyes glowed for a split second and her voice deepened. "Or the wrath of Kalma'kipu will be upon you."

"You are not a god."

"And you are not a Jaffa." Tegan thrust her hand into his pouch and pulled out his symbiote. The white larval creature shrieked in her hand, and she did her best not to bring up her toenails since her stomach was emptier than the Grand Canyon.

Rusty doubled over in pain, but managed to hit the console to close the door. Tegan dropped the symbiote as she stepped back causing the door to bisect the creature killing it instantly.

Tegan shook the orange mucous off her hand and made a face before turning to see her stunned teammates. "Think she'll get the message?"

"I can't believe you did that." Sam was the first to speak.

"A girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do." Tegan tossed Sam her boot and collapsed.

Both Janet and Sam were at her side in less than a second.

"I'm ok." Tegan insisted. "Just a little dizzy."

"Promise me." Janet pleaded.

"I can't." Tegan looked away not wanting to see the hurt in her eyes. "I can promise to do everything in my power to get you both out of here. And that's exactly what I'm going to do."

Before either of them could respond the door slid open. "Hek'tu will see you now."

"That's great." Tegan looked to Sam. "Help me up, will you?"

Once on her feet she followed the armored Jaffa down the corridor. Evidently he wasn't taking any chances.

"You killed my first prime." Angry eyes flashed white.

"Rusty? Come on you could have picked a better first prime." Tegan watched the stone in the center of Hek'tu's hand device come to life.

"You are not Kalm'kipu." Hek'tu looked at the staff wound she still sported.

"That all depends on your point of view."

"You will tell me what I want to know."

"Actually." Tegan grimaced as her upper leg started to throb. That was never a good sign. "We do need to talk."

"About?" Hek'tu was intently curious now.

"About the treatment of my friends; Do you really think starving them to death before Apophis and Nirrti arrive is wise?"

"Kree!" One of the Jaffa at the door bowed and left the room. "It has been taken care of. Now you will tell me what I want to know."

"I'm afraid not." Tegan recoiled as Hek'tu stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her cheek.

"I think you'll change your mind." There was that purr again, as Hek'tu brought her free hand up and placed a device against her right temple.

Tegan knew from the shock of pain that shot through her right temporal lobe, it was a memory recall device. She immediately started replaying the Sound of Music in her head.

Hek'tu was patient and watched the entire performance of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical before she started to get antsy. Some where in the middle of replaying the movie Tegan's body had fallen to the floor; Hek'tu took advantage of her position and ripped her shirt off.

"Why does Nirrti want you?"

Tegan reached up and turned the device off before pulling it off. "She's going to kill you."

"I'm going to kill, Major Fraiser. All you have to do is tell me why Nirrti wants you." She ran soothing fingers through her hair. "And I'll let her go."

A single tear slipped from her eye and Hek'tu wiped it away with her thumb.

"I can't." Tegan closed her eyes, trying to force her body to block out the gentle caresses.

"Tell me." Hek'tu's voice hummed and Tegan felt warm lips on her neck kissing and caressing the soft flesh in the hollow of her neck.

Tegan's head fell back despite her logical protests.

"All you have to do is tell me."

Tegan's eyes flashed open and she growled. "Never."

"You want me." Hek'tu smiled.

"Why would I want you?" Tegan sneered.

"Why would Nirrti want you?" Hek'tu turned the question around.

"Go to hell."

"Take her back to her cell."

Tegan struggled against the Jaffa who jerked her to her feet. "If Nirrti sees what you've done to us, you are good as dead! She'll kill you a thousand times over."

Janet started to move towards Tegan when the door shut, but the redhead who was now wearing nothing more than her boy shorts and sports bra backed into a corner. "Don't."

"Tegan, it's just me, Janet." She reached out and Tegan pulled further into herself ignoring the heat radiating out from the staff wound.

"Don't touch me!"

"Tegan?" It was Sam's soft voice this time.

"Just leave me alone."

"We have food, you need to eat." Janet reached for a piece of fruit that resembled a pear.

"Not hungry."

"You need to at least drink something." Janet offered.

"Later."

"Tegan, what happened?" Sam waited patiently for an answer that wasn't forthcoming.

Sometime in the silence Tegan drifted off into a restless sleep. Janet and Sam took advantage of the situation and did the same. Their sleep was interrupted by Tegan's cries.

"No!" Her voice dropped to a whimper before it reached a crescendo. "Let her go, and I'll tell you!"

"Tegan, it's ok. It's just a bad dream." Janet voice calmed.

Tegan jumped as the door whooshed open. Janet spun around in time to see Sam go flying across the small space, her back slamming into the wall before her body slid to the ground. "Move!"

Janet stepped back as Hek'tu entered the cell.

"Last chance to change your life." Hek'tu addressed Tegan.

"Why don't you just turn me over to Nirrti?" Tegan questioned seconds before long spinney fingers wrapped around her throat and lifted her off the ground.

"You killed my first prime, you must pay."

"And if I could reach inside your head, I'd do the same damn thing to you."

"Tell me!" She tightened her grip on Tegan's throat.

"Let her go!" Janet rushed the Goa'uld who was caught by surprise.

She moved to throw Janet off of her, but not before the shorter woman was hit by a blast from one of the Jaffas' staff weapons. Janet hit the back wall and grabbed her upper left arm, where the blast had grazed her shoulder.

Hek'tu turned her ribbon device on the Jaffa who had fired. "How many times do I have to tell you, do not harm them!"

She didn't stop until the Jaffa had fallen to his death, then she turned back to Tegan who had slumped to the floor during the shuffle. "Tell me, now!"

"You'll have to kill me first."

She trained the ribbon device on Tegan.

"Stop, I'll tell you what you want to know." Sam wavered on her feet.

"No!" Tegan screamed disregarding her own welfare and pain, she charged Hek'tu and managed to topple the woman. "Go!"

Sam looked at Tegan as shook her head.

"Go damn it! That's an order."

Technically Sam was in charge. "I can't."

Tegan looked up to see two Jaffa standing in the doorway. Hek'tu pushed her off before she stood back up, and again picked Tegan up by the neck.

"We could have ruled the universe together. Apophis will be here in two days, and then I can not save any of you." She sneered.

Tegan kicked her in the stomach with her good leg, which only succeeded in bringing down Hek'tu's fury; without warning Tegan was airborne, and then the room went dark.

The sound Tegan's head made as it connected with the wall was akin to that of a watermelon hitting a concrete slab a hundredth of a second before it splits open. Sam was afraid when she moved to Tegan's side there would be gray matter hanging out. Janet waited until the door was closed before moving to assess the prone woman.

"She's out." Sam informed her, bringing her hand out from behind her head to find it only covered in blood.

"We need to see how deep that wound is."

"We need to tend to your shoulder first." Sam announced.

"It can wait, it just glanced off me."

Sam looked at the area and decided it wasn't too bad, but she still insisted on putting Janet's arm in a sling before allowing her to examine Tegan. Using material ripped from her shirt, Sam made a makeshift sling to support Janet's injured limb.

Her arm secured in the improvised sling, Janet moved to Tegan's side.

Tegan opened her eyes and everything was black. She paused and listened while waiting for her eyes to adjust. She felt Janet's finger touch her forehead, she blinked and rolled away and into a sitting position.

"Janet?" Her voice wasn't quiet as strong as she would have hoped.

"You're back with us." Janet gave a small smile.

"Yeah." Tegan's head protested the change in position. "Who turned out the lights?"

Janet gave Sam a worried look.

When no one responded she realized the lights weren't out. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are." Janet immediately discounted the statement.

"It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean?" Janet asked.

"You heard her." Tegan leaned her head carefully against the wall as she heard the door slide open.

"You!" The male voice commanded.

"Me?" Tegan blew out.

"No." He pointed at Janet. "The short one, come with me."

"No." Tegan spoke, but despite being the ever valiant warrior she was currently helpless to do anything.

"Where do you suppose they're taking her?" She asked when the door had closed.

"I don't know." Sam looked at her hands. "Fine mess I've gotten us into."

"You got us into this?"

"It looked like a simple vegetation retrieval mission, a nice way to get Janet out of the mountain for a bit."

"She told me to tell her why Nirrti has a price on my head, or she would kill Janet."

"You didn't tell her." Sam already knew she hadn't.

"What difference would it make? I mean it's not like she would keep her end of the bargain and let you two go."

"You wouldn't do it anyway."

"I wouldn't bet on it." She sighed. "I would never give away any other intelligence. You know that. But I'd tell her that. Unfortunately she'd just torture you both to try and get me to tell her how I do it, and that I couldn't tell her even if I wanted to."

The room was quite for several minutes. "Sam?"

"Yeah."

"I would never put earth or you in jeopardy."

"I know."

"Guess what?" Tegan lifted her head from the wall.

"What?"

"I can't see."

"I know." Sam sighed. Under other circumstances she would have welcomed Tegan's honesty.

"What do you think she's going to do to Janet?"

"I don't know."

Tegan smiled lightly. "Just wanted to make sure you didn't know everything."

"Tegan."

"Yeah?"

"We're going to get out of this."

"Yup." She didn't know how, but she wasn't going to give up hope no matter how thin.

"Janet?" Tegan asked when the door opened and she felt a small body fall against her.

"Yeah."

"You blondie, come with me."

"I thought I was next." Tegan protested before the door closed. She reached up to find Janet's shoulder. "Janet?"

"I'm fine." Janet ran her fingers over Tegan's brow. "She put me in her sarcophagus."

"Do you think that's where she took Sam?"

"Probably." Janet frowned. "Hopefully she'll do the same for you."

"I…" She let the lie die before it reached her lips.

"How's your head feeling?"

"I've got a headache the size of the milky way."

"Just the milky way?"

"Yeah."

* * *

><p>The sarcophagus had worked its magic and not only renewed Tegan's physical strength but her mental standing as well. "We're going to get out of here."<p>

"Of course." Sam's smile wasn't her usual exuberant one, but it never was in such circumstances. "We've been in worse situations."

"Speak for yourself." Janet mumbled. "Next time you two want to go off-world to pick flowers, count me out."

Tegan stood up as the door to the cell opened. Hek'tu stood there flanked by two Jaffa. "You're time is running out."

"If you were going to kill us, why'd you put us in the sarcophagus?" Tegan stepped forward blocking Janet from the evil woman in front of her.

"You will tell me what I want to know." She held out Sam's G.D.O. that had been taken when they'd first been captured. "Give me the code, and I'll let them go."

"Let them go first."

"Nirrti is on her way, as is Apophis. I have not told them I have your Major Fraiser captive. You can still save her."

"Go to hell." Tegan lunged forward only to be tossed in the air like a rag doll.

"Major Carter?" Hek'tu looked at Sam who was eying the staff weapons pointed at them.

Hek'tu wasn't taking any chances on them escaping.

"I don't know."

"She will pay for your insolence." She trained the ribbon device on Tegan who was already partially on her feet and struggling to get up. Tegan fell forward grabbing the wrist that the device was attached to with both hands. "Tell me what I want to know."

Sam felt Janet shifting beside her, she knew this was so much harder for the doctor. Part of it was the oath to first do no harm, part of it was her inexperience in these types encounters, and still the bigger part of it was who was currently being tortured in order for one of them to break and give the information. Sam hoped Janet was stronger than she gave her credit for her. As the moments passed, she proved her strength even as Sam started to question her own.

"I will kill her."

Tegan's grasp started to weaken, her left hand slipped and she continued to cling to Hek'tu's arm with her right. Saliva started to drool out the corner of her mouth.

"Stop!" Sam yelled.

"The code." She continued her onslaught.

Tegan's fingers relaxed and her body slumped sideways.

"This is your last –"

Hek'tu was cut off by a staff blast cutting through the air and ripping into the base of her neck. She crumpled to ground, the smell of brunt flesh wafting out of the smoldering wound.

Sam had almost expected to see Teal'c standing there flanked by Colonel O'Neill and Daniel when Hek'tu's body fell to the floor. Instead she heard the voice of her enemy before she'd actually seen her.

"Jaffa Kree!" Nirrti stood there with the still smoking weapon in her hand. She grinned the way she always did when she had the upper hand.

Janet's stomach churned. She didn't like any of the Goa'uld, but she had a particular hatred for Nirrti. Not only had she almost killed her lover on more than one occasion, she'd also caused Cassie more grief than anyone her age should ever have to face. Not to mention trying to use the young girl as a human bomb.

Nirrti bent and pulled the transmitter from Hek'tu's limp hand.

"Take them to the transporter rings." Nirrti's eyes cut from the dead Gou'ald lying at her feet to the two Jaffa standing there. "Now!"

Tegan groaned and squinted at Sam. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but this wasn't exactly the rescue she'd planned on.

"Don't think of trying anything." Nirrti warned, as Sam helped pull Tegan to her feet and supported most of her weight.

Nirrti followed them down the corridor, and pointed to the ring platform. "Step in."

"Not you! Jaffa Kree!" Nirrti's voice reverberated, she handed the transmitter to Janet. "When you are on the planet go back to the Stargate immediately."

"What?" Tegan mumbled. She knew it was stupid to ask but it didn't stop her.

"Apophis will be here any second, and he will not spare your life." She paused in thought. "I will find you again."

The threat was meant for Tegan who merely gave a single nod as Nirrti activated the rings. Just as the rings came up around them Tegan saw Nirrti lift the staff weapon and shoot the Jaffa that was standing there.

Sam dropped Tegan as soon as the rings had disappeared. They were back on the planet's surface, and she could see signs of the search and rescue effort that had taken place. "I'll dial us home."

Tegan tried to stand up again on her own, and even with Janet's help it was impossible. Her head throbbed with the effort and her limbs were rubbery feeling. Sam ran back to them when the event horizon whooshed to life and pulled Tegan up after transmitting SG1's code. Janet helped support Tegan's other side as they stepped through the gate.

General Hammond, Jack, Daniel and Teal'c stood in the command center watching with relief when the three women came through the gate. Despite the torn clothes, or in Tegan's case the lack there of, they appeared to be in one piece.

"Stand down!" General Hammond commanded the security team in the gate room before following the male half of SG1 down. When he walked in Jack was already throwing his field jacket over Tegan as Teal'c took over the job of holding her up.

Jack look up at the control center. "Walter, call for some blankets would ya?"

"A medical team is on their way, sir." He finished his statement just as Dana came rushing in with medics and a gurney behind her.

Jack pulled the blanket off and wrapped it around Tegan.

"I've got legs." She pushed away from Teal'c stepping forward before her knees gave out.

He caught her before she fell. "Yes, I believe you have two of them. However they do not seem to be working at the moment."

"Give me a second will ya?" She looked at General Hammond. "Believe it or not, I'm fine sir. Think we can get the debriefing out of the way first?"

He glanced questioningly at Janet who nodded. "Why don't we let these good people at least help you into a uniform first?"

"Yes sir." She looked sheepishly at Dana.

"Major?" General Hammond looked at Tegan who was barely supporting her chin in her hand.

"Sorry sir."

"You've had a long few days."

"Yes sir."

"Kiser." Jack pointed to his nose as Janet reached for a Kleenex.

"One too many rounds with a hand ribbon device, sir." She wiped at the red liquid.

"Dr. Scully, they're all yours." General Hammond looked at Tegan and Sam. "Don't get up, you either Dr. Fraiser. Dismissed."

She'd heard him tell her not to stand, but when she saw General Hammond start to get up the soldier in her took over and she pushed her chair back. The last thing she remembered was hearing Hammond ask, "Does she ever listen?"

"Janet?" Tegan turned her head to her right, where she knew Janet was sitting. It wasn't that she had a sixth sense about these things, but she felt Janet's thumb tracing small delicate circles on the back of her hand.

"Hey." She smiled as Tegan opened her eyes and focused on her.

"You're…" She noticed the lack of lab coat and Air Force uniform.

"Yeah." Janet smiled. "I'm off."

"Well, hello." Dana stepped up to the left of Tegan's bedside.

"Hmm." She offered a half smile. "Can I go home?"

"No." Dana didn't hesitate.

"It was worth a shot." Tegan licked her lips.

"Maybe tomorrow."

"Have to work tomorrow, it's Monday."

"If you're good, I might let you work on Tuesday." Janet drew her attention.

"Not fair, you should be off as long as I am."

"Sam and I are fine, thanks to the sarcophagus. So are you, aside from the leftover effects from that damn ribbon device."

Tegan nodded. "Why did she let us go?"

Janet shook her head.

"She didn't want Apophis learning what you are." Sam offered.

"What am I?"

"I didn't mean it that way." She apologized.

"Guess we got lucky."

"How's that?" Sam asked.

"Apophis could have gotten to us first."

"I can't believe you two do this every time you step through the gate." Janet shuddered at the thought. She knew she didn't worry about Tegan needlessly.

"Not always, sometimes we just pick the flowers and come home." Tegan closed her eyes.


End file.
